Improvement in the construction of boots and shoes



M. M. WHEELER.-

fionsfir uction of Boofs and Shoes.

N0. 136,293, Patented Feb.25,1873.

Wv'hwavew. [Mere/Z07 MMW YweZeZ' Q 3% 10m I v 'Ndjyfg' weig d to form a counter or heel-stifiener for the NETED STATES PATENT QFFIoa MORTIMER M. \VHEELER, OF GALENA, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF HIS RIGHT TO JAMES JONES, OF DODGEVILLE, WISCONSIN.

IMPROVEMENT IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF BOOTS'AND SHOES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 136,293, dated February 25, 1873.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, MORTIMER M. WHEEL- ER, of Galena, in the county of J o Daviess and State of Illinois, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Cutting the Uppers of Boots and Shoes; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawing forming part of this specification, in which Figure l is a perspective view of a shoe, showing the upper formed in accordance with my invention, and Fig. 2 is a top-plan view of the upper before being lasted.

Similar letters of reference in the accompanying drawing denote the same parts.

My invention has for its object to improve the method of cutting the uppers of boots and shoes, whereby a saving is ett'ected in the leather, cloth, or other material of which the boot or shoe is composed, and a complete seamless upper with a counter or heel-stifl'cn er produced from a single piece.

In carrying out my invention, I cut the leathor or other material in the general form of an oval, as shown in Fig. 2, using a'pattern of the proper size. Near the wider end of the piece thus cut, and transversely of the same, I cut an opening, B, of the general form of an oblate spheroid, which forms the opening of the shoe for the introduction of the foot after the upper has been lasted and crimped. The piece of leather cut out to form the opening is separated from the upper along the front and ends 0 only, and is then turned under along the line shoe, as shown by dotted lines, Fig. 2.

By this method of cutting the upper is formed in one piece without seams or waste.

After the upper has been cut it is lasted in the usual manner, the form of the opening B permitting the heel and counter to be drawn down over the heel of the last as well as the instep and toe.

During the process of lasting the form of the opening is changed to adapt the top of the shoe to the ankle of the wearer-that is to say, the front and rear edges of the opening are drawn away from and the curved ends drawn toward each other, as shown in Fig. 1.

By my improvement the upper can be last ed in the complete form of a shoe, with the counter attached, without being out upon the last at any point excepting over the instep for the necessary lacings.

Boots are formed by stitching the legs upon the uppers, as will be readily understood.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is- 1. The upper and a stifl'ening of a boot and shoe out in one single piece, substantially as described, for the purpose specified.

2. The pattern for the upper of a boot or shoe, cut in the form shown in Fig. 2 of the drawing, with the piece cut from the opening B turned under to form a heel-stiffener, substantially as described, for the purpose specitied.

M. M. WHEELER.

Witnesses: I

N. K. ELLSWOR-TH, E. A. ELLSWORTH. 

